Hull



June 9, 1931. 1 J. M. MILLER, 1,809,306

HULL r Fiid NOV. 7, 1924 2 Sheets-Shet i INVENTOR .1. M. MILLER June9, 1931.

HULL- Filed Nov. '7, 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG.4-

Patented June 9, 1931 UNITED; STATES PATENT OFFICE JOHN MATTHEW MILLER, OF BRUNSWICK, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO CHARLES SHEPARD, OF ROCHESTER, NEW YORK HULL Application filed November 7, 1924. Serial No. 748,392.

The invention relates to improvements in hulls designed especially for amphibians or flying boats, in which the landing gear wheels are mounted in connection with an inverted V, bottom hull or-pontoon, and the objects third, to give greater clearance between the hull and the ground. This last feature is very important and impossible to secure by any other known design. One form of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which:

- wheels the Wings and other parts of the aeroplane beingomitted for the sake of clearness;

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the aeroplane, illustrating the wheels in their lowered position for use in landing on or takingoff from land;

Fig.4 is a view similar to Fig. 3, with parts omitted, illustrating the wheels retracted for landing at or taking off from water; and

Fig. 5 is an elevation of the retracting mechanism comprising a wheel supporting member and a guideway in which it moves, showing detailsthereof.

Referring now to the drawings, which illustrate a preferred embodiment of the invention,the section 6 constitutes the main body of the hull. The two sections 7, 7 constitute side fins to aid in securing lateral stability. The wheels 8, 8 along with the tailskid 9, form the landing gear for use in landing upon or taking off from the ground. The angle formed by the inverted V bottom is shown at 10 in Fig. 1, which figure also illustrates the ample ground clearance secured by this design.

The wheels 8 are mounted so that they,

may be retracted or moved upwardly from the position shown in Figs. 1 and 3 to that illustrated in Fig. 4. In this latter or retracted position, each wheel may be received partially within a recess or housing in a lateral fin 7,- as is plainly shown in Fig. 4.

One side of each of these housings may be formed by the side of the main hull section 6, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, while the other side thereof is indicated'by the liens 18 in.

these two figures.

Referring now to Fig. 5, which shows in detail the construction of the retracting mechanism, the guide 11, 11 controls the ac:

tion' of the slide 12, on which the wheel 8 is mounted. The locking bolts 13, 13 hold the slide in a lowered position, and they in turn are held by springs 14. The numerals 8 and 15, indicate respectively the Wheels and shock absorbers. A pull or tension uponthe cable 16, which leads from a winding drum over suitable sheaves to the wheel reftracting mechanism, first withdraws the bolts 13, 13 from locked position, and continued pull on the cable raises the entire slide (12) vertically in the guide (11). The slidereturns to the lower position by gravity when tension is released from the cable 16, and is automatically locked in position by the spring pressed bolts. The raisin and lowering could also be accomplishe by a stiff bar or rod joined to the bolts by 'bell cranks at so that the first upward motion of the rod retracts the bolts and continued motion lifts the wheel." The rod could be operated by rack and pinion, ora screw thread. It will also be noticed that the guide and slide are used for two purposes, namely; first, to raise and lower the wheel, and second, to take the motion permitted by the shock absorbers 15.

In this way, the usually complicated mech- .the lower end and arrange the bell-cranks I the bottom V shape is used, the wheels must be placed at a considerable distance below the sides of the hull, so that the lowest part of the hull, at the center, will have ample clearance above the round. This arrangement is weak and unsta 1e due-to the difliculty of properly bracin the wheels when placed at such a great is'tance from the hull, and is expensive and heavy on account of the many parts necessary. When the bottom of the hull is flat, the result is improved but the wheels must still be placed at quite a distance below the hull to allow suflicient clearance in the center to avoid obstructions, such as stumps in the landing field. Also, the desirable V-bottom design is lost. With my arrangement on the other hand, the wheels are placed close to the hull, thus allowing the use of short,.easily braced, light and inexpensive connections be: tween the wheels and the hull. At the same time, the bottomof the hull slopes upward from the wheels toward the centre, thus furnishing am le clearance for the machine to pass over a usual obstructions, and it will be noticed that the skid gives ample protection for the rear end of the hull and is especially designed to meet such obstructions,

while the rest of the hull cannot be so designed as the weight of the material would be re 'bitive. I

n closing, I desire to emphasize four reuirements of fl g boat and amphibian design that have en met andimproved on; Flrst, a hull of far greater lateral stability has been developed as may be seen, by the fact that the displacement increases as the hull is tipped. In the usual type of hull the dislacement decreases as the hull is tip d. cond, ample clearance has been secure between the bottom of the hull and the ground. This important feature may not impress the layman, but it is an Army requirement that has never been satisfactorily met in previous am hibian design. Third, to locate wheels in sue a position that they will in no way interfere with the water. In V or flat bottom desi 11 the water is thrown out from the center 0 the hull and in order to get the wheels entirely clear of this disturbed water, it is necessa to swing them well above the water line an to such a osition that they will not catch or deflect t e spray. On the otherhand, with the inverted V bottom hull it has been proved in actual practice and in model basin tests conducted b the Navy Department, that the water is not t rown out by the hull, but is thrown in towards the center. So it will be seen that the side of the boat will be left free from water and that a very desirable location forthe wheels have secured. This fact was very clearly brought out in recent tests. Fourth, to secure a hull that willenter and leave the water easily, especially a hull that will land on the water smoothly without pounding. The V bottom type does not fulfill all the desired results as it throws much water to the side and nautically speaking is very wet. "The flat bottom has the same fault and furthermore is obsolete as it pounds so hard on landing in the water, that only an expert can successfully get one on the water from a flying position. However, the inverted V bottom fully overcomes both these objections, as has been proved by tests.

Thus it will be seen that that I have provided a novel and advantageous combination of wheels and hull in an amphibian, resulting in a lighter, stronger, safer, and cheaper construction; having fewer parts and being therefore easier to inspect and keep in proper condition.

I claim: 4

1. In a device of the character described, the combination with an aeroplane supporting surface, of a hull, lateral fins at the sides of said hull, and wheels for supporting said device on land, said wheels being retractable from their supporting position to a'position within housings formed in said fins, one side of said housings beingsubstantially identical wlth a portion of the side of said hull.

2. In a device of the character described, a hull having a substantially vertical side, a lateral fin attached to said side, and a recess in said fin, one side of said recess being substantially coincident with the said side of the hull, said recess adapted to have a wheel retracted thereintor 3. In a device of the'character described, a hull, a lateral fin on said hull, and a guideway along the side of said hull and extending into said fin. 4. The combination with a guideway, of a member slidably mounted therein, means for retaining said member in fixed position relative to said guideway, a second member slidably mounted in the guideway, a resilient connection between the first member and the second member so that said second member is resiliently restrained against movement in said uideway when said first member is fixed relative thereto, an axle mounted in cantilever fashion on said second member and supported entirely thereby, and a wheel mounted upon said axle. v

5. The combination with a guideway, of a member slidably mounted therein, means for retaining said member in fixed position relative to said guideway, a second member slidably mounted in the ideway, a resilient connection between sai first 'member and said second member, an axle fixed to said second member ate. point horizontallyoflset from said resilient connection, and a wheel. mounted on said axle, said second member having a diagonal-strut extending from, said axle to sa1d .res1lient connection so as to transfer stress from the axle to the resilient connection.

6. An amphibious aeroplane comprising, in combination, wing surfaces for supportmg' said aeroplane in flight, a hull member for supportingsaid aeroplane on water, a fin member oined to and extending laterally from said hull member, a cavity in one of said members adjacent the junction between said hull member and said fi'n member, a wheel for, supporting said aeroplane-on land, and means for shifting said wheel to an inefiective position substantially within said cavit JOHN M. LLER. 

